From the Editor

By now, most of us have been quite a way down the road of the coronavirus (COVID-19) epidemic and are dealing with the huge changes that have happened in our lives. I think that on the plus side, we have all had a significant wake-up call as to how unprepared we were, both on the personal level and as a nation. Hopefully, many things will be learned from this experience and we won’t have to relearn a painful lesson.

In my mind, one of the most important takeaways is that the Communist China regime is not our friend. One would have thought this was pretty evident, but our addiction to cheap goods and cut-rate manufacturing lulled us in to thinking that we could ignore the tenet of “never trust your enemies.” To those who would argue with this, I would suggest that if it has to be explained, you wouldn’t understand it. Saying that the Chinese government handled the outbreak of coronavirus badly is a huge understatement. Closer to the truth, I believe, is an intentional disinformation campaign, trying to turn an awkward national emergency into an international propaganda win.

There is somewhat of a silver lining in the fact that many countries, not just the U.S., have realized the deplorable quality of the Chinese-made testing kits that they had blissfully purchased. Again, why would you assume that a Communist country would exercise strict quality control on medical supplies that it was selling to the Free World? Naiveté, greed and complacency have been adroitly turned against us.

After all is said and done, one is left with the feeling of “What can I do about the situation?” Probably not much that will be noticed by Chinese President Xi Jinping. However, taking the time to check where the items are made that you are going to spend money on is a great place to start. Yes, we have all grown accustomed to cheap Chinese solutions to things like clothing, knives and optics as well as many other “necessities” of life. For my part, if a contemplated purchase shows to be made in China, I will take my money elsewhere, even if I have to pay more. You could say that I’m simply “cutting my nose off to spite my face,” but I disagree. Sure, I’m just one guy, but compound that attitude a couple of million times and it will make a difference.

A few issues ago, I wrote an editorial on “calling a spade, a spade.” I think that advice totally applies in this situation. Not holding nations responsible for deceitful behavior is a luxury we cannot afford. It makes us weak and vulnerable to those who ultimately seek our destruction. America needs to be independent from other countries, especially our enemies, when it comes to vital supplies for our well-being. This is just common sense and shouldn’t have to be explained or justified.

In the immediate future, I’m going to do my small part by not monetarily supporting a Communist regime. When I see the “Made in China” label, the product that is wearing it goes back on the shelf. It may cost me more for the things I need, but I’ll be assured of better quality, while also knowing that I’m helping to create and keep American jobs in America. S

– Gut Ziel